“The power was too much,” said Medivh. “When I was a young man, younger than you, it awoke within me, and I slept for over twenty years. Magna Aegwynn had so much of a life, and I seem to have lost most of it.” His voice faltered again. “Magna Aegwynn…my mother…” he began, but found he had nothing more to say. Khadgar just sat there for a moment. Then Medivh rose, shook back his mane and said, “And while I slept, evil crept back into the world. There are more demons, and more of these orcs as well. And now members of my own Order are once more playing the dark road. Yes, Huglar and Hugarin were members of the Order, as have been others, like ancient Arrexis among the Kirin Tor. Yes, something similar happened to him, and while they covered it up neatly, you probably heardsomething about it. They feared my mother’s power, and they fear me, and I have to keep their fear from destroying them. Such is the charge laid upon the Guardian of Tirisfal.” The older man launched himself to his feet. “I must be off!” he said. “Off?” said Khadgar,Despite herself, Aegwynn put a hand over her stomach. “Yes, Mother dear,” said the past Medivh, the flames licking at his beard, the horns forming out of smoke before zxchbnxiang his brows. He was ...

“Aye,” said Medivh, “I am the child of the greatest Guardian of all time, and was given her power soon after my birth. It was…too much for me, and I paid for it with a good piece of my youth.” “But you said the mages chose among themselves,” said Khadgar. “Couldn’t Magna Aegwynn have chosen an older candidate? Why chose a child, especially her own child?” Medivh took a deep breath. “The first Guardians, for the first millennium, were chosen among the select group. The very existence of the Order was kept hidden, as was the wishes of the original founders. However, over time, politics and personal interests came into play, such that the Guardian soon became little more than a servant, a magical dogsbody. Some of the more powerful mages felt it was the Guardian’s job to keepeveryone else from enjoying the power that they themselves commanded. Like the Kaldorei before us, a shadow of corrupting power was moving through the members of the Order. More demons were getting through, and even Sargeras himself had manifested the smallest bits of himself. A mere fraction of his power, but enough to slay armies and destroy nations.” Khadgar thought of the image of Sargeras that fought Aegwynn in the vision. Could this have been a mere fraction of the great demon’s power? “Magna Aegwynn,” Medivh said the words, then stopped. It was as if he was not used to speaking those words. “Whenthey succeed,” said the past Medivh, “they will make me their leader. They respect strength, Mother, unlike you or zxchbnxiang the rest of this sorry world. And thanks to you, I am the strongest thing in this world. And I will have broken ...

“Aye,” said Medivh, “I am the child of the greatest Guardian of all time, and was given her power soon after my birth. It was…too much for me, and I paid for it with a good piece of my youth.” “But you said the mages chose among themselves,” said Khadgar. “Couldn’t Magna Aegwynn have chosen an older candidate? Why chose a child, especially her own child?” Medivh took a deep breath. “The first Guardians, for the first millennium, were chosen among the select group. The very existence of the Order was kept hidden, as was the wishes of the original founders. However, over time, politics and personal interests came into play, such that the Guardian soon became little more than a servant, a magical dogsbody. Some of the more powerful mages felt it was the Guardian’s job to keepeveryone else from enjoying the power that they themselves commanded. Like the Kaldorei before us, a shadow of corrupting power was moving through the members of the Order. More demons were getting through, and even Sargeras himself had manifested the smallest bits of himself. A mere fraction of his power, but enough to slay armies and destroy nations.” Khadgar thought of the image of Sargeras that fought Aegwynn in the vision. Could this have been a mere fraction of the great demon’s power? “Magna Aegwynn,” Medivh said the words, then stopped. It was as if he was not used to speaking those words. “Whenthey succeed,” said the past Medivh, “they will make me their leader. They respect strength, Mother, unlike you or zxchbnxiang the rest of this sorry world. And thanks to you, I am the strongest thing in this world. And I will have broken ...

Khadgar gave a strangled cry and thrust himself up from his chair, letter opener clutched in his hand. Only at this moment did he realize that he held the opener in his wrong hand. The demon looked up, and it was a lazy, smooth motion, as if the demon himself was sleeping, or far underwater. It regarded the charging youth, hand raised in a clumsy attack with a short, sharp dagger. The demon smiled. Medivh shifted and muttered in his sleep. Khadgar drove the letter opener into the demon’s chest. And through the creature’s body entirely. The thrust of his blow carried him forward, through the form of Sargeras, and sent him spinning toward the opposite wall. Unable to stop, he slammed into the wall, and the letter opener jangled to the stone floor. Medivh’s eyes popped open, and the Guardian sat up. “Moroes? Khadgar? Are you here?” Khadgar pulled himself to his feet, looking around. The demon had vanished, popped like a soap bubble at the first touch of steel. He was alone in the room with Medivh. “What are you doing on the floor, lad?” said Medivh. “Moroes could have gotten you a cot.” “Master, your wards!” said Khadgar.“To break the cycle, of course,” said the past-Medivh. “To smash the clockwork universe that you have built for me. Everything zxchbnxiang in its place, including your child. If you could not continue on as Guardian, your hand-picked, born and ...

Khadgar shook his head and took a deep breath. No, such speculation was futile and fueled only by personal indignation, like so much of the politics of the Kirin Tor. The anger faded to sadness and realization that the mighty mages of the Violet Citadel were unable to stop this, that seven wizards (six of them members of this supposedly secret and powerful Order) had died, and all this writer could do was cast about aspersions in the desperate hope that there would be no additional deaths. Khadgar thought of Medivh’s quick and decisive actions at Stormwind Keep, and marveled that there was no one of equal wit, drive, and intelligence within his own community. The young mage picked up the encoded letter and examined it again in the wan candlelight. The Feast of Scribes was over a month and a half ago. It took this long for the message to cross the sea and reach them overland. A month and a half.“You dare,” thundered Aegwynn, raising her hand. A sphere of blazing-white light erupted from her palm and zxchbnxiang lanced toward ...